Osi Umenyiora Wants to Retire as New York Giant

Osi Umenyiora – © USA TODAY Sports Images

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Atlanta Falcons defensive end Osi Umenyiora, who spent 10 years with the New York Giants from 2003-2012, recently told ESPN.com that he would like to retire as a New York Giant. Umenyiora will become an unrestricted free agent in early March.

“It was nearly a third of my life that I was there in New York, and I did a lot of good things there,” Umenyiora said. “As a team, we won some Super Bowls. I was able to go to a couple of Pro Bowls and be like an All-Pro player over there. Unless I’m able to do that somewhere else – which I don’t know how likely that is – then it would only make sense, whenever it is that I retire.

“I’m not going to play another 10 years. I’m not going to play another three years. Whenever it is that I retire, I think it would only make sense for me to do that as a Giant.”

The 33-year old Umenyiora was originally drafted by the Giants in the second round of the 2003 NFL Draft. In nine seasons (he missed the 2008 season with a knee injury), he played in 129 regular-season games and accrued 376 tackles, 75 sacks, and forced 32 fumbles. Umenyiora has been named All Pro twice (2005 and 2010) and played in two Pro Bowls (2005 and 2007). He also was a key member of two NFL Championship teams for the Giants in 2007 and 2011.

Umenyiora signed with the Falcons in during free agency in 2013. While he played in all 16 games in 2014 for the Falcons, he did not start and finished the season with only 12 tackles and 2.5 sacks.

“Zero plans to retire at this moment,” said Umenyiora. “I feel like I can still play, No. 1. The way things ended last year, I’m just not going to end my career like that. That’s not going to happen.

“I feel like when put in the right situation and given the opportunity to play, I would still be able to help somebody. I want to end the way it’s supposed to end.

“I think I’ll know exactly when the time (to retire) is right. When you’re physically not able to play anymore, you’ve got to be honest with yourself. You have to watch tape and study yourself from when you had good years, when you had not-so-good years. You have to look at your explosion, how you’re playing the game; if you still want to practice. And you have to have enough pride that you’re not going to go out there and embarrass yourself. You don’t want to go out there and look like a fool. I think the league will let you know when you’re done. Ain’t no charity cases being handed out. Either they feel like you can help them or that’s it for you. If you’re unable to play, they’ll tell you because you’re not going to have a job.

“More importantly, I think the league will let you know when you’re done. Ain’t no charity cases being handed out. Either they feel like you can help them or that’s it for you. If you’re unable to play, they’ll tell you because you’re not going to have a job.

“Do I expect to get a look from the Falcons? Absolutely. I think I did the right things when I was there, especially last year. I did and said all the right things, and I’m in great shape. Whether or not they decide to re-sign me, that’s another story. But do I expect them to look into it? I would think so.”

Articles on the New York Giants and Free Agency:

• Jason Pierre-Paul franchise tag possible because Giants ‘healthy’ with salary cap by Jordan Raanan for NJ.com
• Giants buzz at the NFL Combine: What’s new with their own free agents? by Jordan Raanan for NJ.com

Article on the New York Giants and the 2015 NFL Draft: An updated list of players visiting with the Giants at the 2015 NFL Combine by Nick Powell for NJ.com

Article on the New York Giants Safeties: Expect Giants to give young safeties a shot by Dan Graziano of ESPN.com